Controlling the Interactive Behavior of a Robot

• US 20080009957A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gienger, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/029
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning

Abstract

A method for controlling behavior of an intelligent mechanical system having more than one degree of freedom, the method comprising: (a) providing a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system; (b) generating by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target; (c) simulating movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system; (d) assessing fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and (e) sending the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling behavior of an intelligent mechanical system having more than one degree of freedom, the method comprising:

(a) providing a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system;

(b) generating by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target;

(c) simulating movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system;

(d) assessing fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and

(e) sending the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical system is an autonomous robot.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is generated by a visual system of the mechanical system coupled to the selector unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing unit simulates the movements using an Inverse Dynamics or Inverse Kinematics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitness is calculated using a cost function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing unit simulates at a speed higher than the mechanical response time of the mechanical system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) to (e) are repeated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of simulating comprises detecting self collision, avoiding the detected self collision, and avoiding external objects.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulation comprises performing a kinematics simulation of the motion or performing a dynamics simulation.

10. A controller for controlling behavior of an intelligent mechanical system having more than one degree of freedom, the controller configured to:

(a) provide a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system;

(b) generate by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target;

(c) simulate movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system;

(d) assess fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and

(e) send the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.

11. A robot comprising a controller adapted to:

(a) provide a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system;

(b) generate by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target;

(c) simulate movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system;

(d) assess fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and

(e) send the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.

12. A computer readable storage medium structured to store instructions executable by a processing system, the instructions when executed cause the processing system to:

(a) provide a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system;

(b) generate by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target;

(c) simulate movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system;

(d) assess fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and

(e) send the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.